Peggy Fikac: Call her Grandma

Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn’s desire to be listed as “Grandma” on the November ballot is causing some heartburn among other hopefuls.

Gov. Rick Perry’s spokesman Robert Black said that “if other campaigns throughout history behaved this bizarrely, I guess Americans would have seen ballot names like Herbert ‘A chicken in every pot’ Hoover.”

Independent hopeful Kinky Friedman said, “She can call herself Carole Cougar Mellencamp if she wants, but when it comes to the ballot, she should have to follow the law. Hell, I’ve been Kinky for 40 years.”

Democrat, and father of two, Chris Bell seemed relatively untroubled, laughing as he said, “I don’t plan a similar initiative to be placed on the ballot as ‘Daddy.’ ”

Strayhorn is running for the first time under her current name — she married (for the third time) since the last election, in which she was the state’s top vote getter. She has used the slogan “One Tough Grandma” for years.

Of course, it’s all a bit premature. Secretary of State Roger Williams, who happens to be a Perry appointee, must first decide Strayhorn has submitted enough valid petition signatures to be listed on the ballot as an independent gubernatorial candidate. Then he’ll decide if, under the parameters of election law guidance on nicknames, she can be listed as Carole Keeton “Grandma” Strayhorn.